San Diego Padres at Toronto Blue Jays

Machado drives in 2, Darvish pitches 6 innings for win as Padres blank Jays 2-0

Machado came in with an NL-best 19 RBI in 13 games in July and added to that total with a two-out single off Blue Jays right-hander José Berríos in the fifth inning.

“Manny’s on fire right now,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “And not only that, big hits, too. All it took was one today.”

Machado has reached safely in a season-high 12 consecutive games. He’s hitting .327 (18 for 55) in July. His nine home runs and 21 RBI this month are the most in the majors.

“He has the ability to carry a team and here recently he’s been doing that,” Melvin said.

Darvish (7-6) pitched six innings to win back-to-back starts. The right-hander allowed four hits, walked three and struck out seven.

San Diego has won eight of 12.

“Our staff is starting to get together, our team is starting to get together,” Machado said. “Good things are going to be coming.”

Toronto loaded the bases with two outs in the first but Whit Merrifield lined out to second base.

“Darvish had a really good mix of a slow curveball, heater, cutter, sweeper,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Dudes like that, you’ve got to take advantage of every opportunity.”

The Blue Jays, who lost 9-1 in Tuesday’s series opener, went without an extra-base hit for the second straight game, disappointing a season-high crowd of 42,948.

Toronto scored in the first inning Tuesday but has gone 17 innings since without a run.

Juan Soto walked three times as the Padres won their second straight after losing the previous three. San Diego won a road series for the first time since taking two of three at Colorado June 9-11.

Steven Wilson worked the seventh, Nick Martinez pitched around a pair of singles in the eighth and Josh Hader finished for his 23rd save in 27 chances.

The shutout was San Diego’s ninth. Toronto was blanked for the fifth time.

Trent Grisham got San Diego’s rally started with a one-out walk and Ha-Seong Kim was hit by a pitch. Fernando Tatis Jr. struck out before a double steal put runners at second and third. Toronto intentionally walked Soto to load the bases for Machado, who delivered a broken-bat hit to center.

Machado had flied out to the warning track in his previous at bat.

“We get lucky every once in a while,” Machado said. “Hit the ball hard and you get out, then you hit a bloop like that and you get two RBI to get the game going. That’s just how baseball is.”

Berríos (8-7) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings. He walked four and struck out nine. The right-hander is winless in four starts.

Toronto lost for just the fifth time in Berríos’ past 27 home starts, dating to 2021.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: RHP Robert Suarez (elbow) joined the team in Toronto on Wednesday and could be activated off the IL as early as Thursday, Melvin said. Suarez signed a $46 million, five-year contract to stay with the Padres in November but has yet to pitch this season.

Blue Jays: Toronto selected the contract of OF Jordan Luplow from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned OF Nathan Lukes to the Bisons. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Blue Jays transferred RHP Adam Cimber (shoulder) from the 15-day to the 60-day IL.

ONE TO REMEMBER

With Tatis starting at DH, Padres OF Taylor Kohlwey made his major league debut in right field and batted eighth. Kohlwey singled off Berríos in the sixth for his first career hit.

“We’ve loved him in the spring the last couple of years,” Melvin said. “He’s a fighter, he’s a battler.”

CATCH OF THE DAY

Toronto’s George Springer made a leaping catch on the warning track in right field to retire Padres 1B Jake Cronenworth for the first out of the sixth.

LEADING MAN

Springer’s single in the first was his 47th hit to lead off an inning, the most by any AL batter.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP Chris Bassitt (9-5, 4.12 ERA) starts Thursday afternoon’s series finale. LHP Blake Snell (6-7, 2.71) goes for the Padres.

How can I watch San Diego Padres vs. Toronto Blue Jays?

• TV Channel: Padres at Blue Jays 2022 MLB Baseball, is broadcasted on ESPN+.
• Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.

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